The rule of three. It’s deadlier than going into the NCAA tournament on a 20-game winning streak.

It’s hard to beat a good team three times in one season. Florida, which swept Kentucky in the regular season, found that out on Friday. South Carolina, which also swept Kentucky in the regular season, took its turn on Saturday.

The Wildcats squashed the Gamecocks’ inside game, hounded two-gun attack Tiffany Mitchell and Aleighsa Welch and stroked 3-pointers so well that it appeared Marshall Henderson was wearing braids. USC beat UK twice this year, and that helped win the SEC regular-season championship.

But the Gamecocks will be watching the Wildcats play for the SEC tournament championship on Sunday.

It’s simple – teams that lose diagram why they lose and correct it in the next game.